#y;2017

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

familiar endeavours

@247jiae​

Some days stand out because big things happen. Some days stand out because they’re just that good or that bad. Some days go by like nothing special. That day seems like one of the latter, but soon proves to turn into something entirely different.

The exact moment the day shifts from ordinary into something else completely, is when Shinhye spots a somewhat familiar face among the people crossing the road ahead of her. This particular young woman is walking in her direction, looking every bit like any other regular person, if it weren’t for the recognition that flashes through Shinhye’s entire being. The type of recognition that puts your hairs on edge the moment you realise where you know the other person from.

It’s too late to try and avoid the actual confrontation because they’re rather close to each other by now. Shinhye has already come to a halt because of her own surprise, and when the other woman’s eyes land on her much the same reaction happens on the other end. For a moment she just stands there, scrambling for something to say or do in order to quickly progress from this more than awkward situation. Sadly the best thing her mind can come up with is opening her mouth.

“Oh. Hi.” For a published writer she truly has the highest level of vocabulary and she uses it in everyday conversation all the time, clearly. Not. “I- Uh...” A long, awkward moment. “It’s been a while.”

It’s been over five years since Shinhye last was involved in any smuggling activities, which are the ones she knows Jiae from. They didn’t know each other well, but well enough to know each other’s name. Their paths had crossed a few times during Shinhye’s smuggling days. She doesn’t know if the other woman is still doing it or if she has managed to get out of that situation as well. She can only hope that they have both managed to get to a better point in life.

“How are you?”

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

terminology

@247chaerin 

2017 - somewhere in april

The response to her novel is much bigger than Shinhye ever could have dreamed. Somehow the few teasers she had posted online and the great following she already garnered before have made her book publish a rather widespread event. So what originally was going to be just one book signing session in one of the bigger Seoul bookstores has now become a series of book signing sessions, and she’s already at the fourth day in a row. People continue to keep coming by with their examples of the book for her to sign, telling her of how much they enjoyed it and how much they appreciate her writing and how much they’re looking forward to the next volume in the series.

It’s quite a boost to her self confidence, honestly, all these people with their interest in her book and their compliments for her writing. To be honest, she’s wanted to be able to pick up quite a few of them to carry around with her, that’s how precious this entire event has been so far. And of course there were also the few people she actually knew, who had also come to stand in line for no reason whatsoever, some even carrying multiple books with her. She still fondly remembers the moment Bora showed up with five or six books, each one needed to be signed, one for every room in her house she had claimed.

The memory brings a brighter smile to Shinhye’s face as she greets the next person, taking their book and signing it to their name, with a little extra note in it. It’s been quite the interesting ride so far, so many different types of people who have read and enjoyed her book. Some people of course also came with criticism on little parts or plot twists that they had preferred not to be there. She keeps those in mind too, but still feels like the story has flown entirely like it should have. The occasional small parts she thought weren’t going to go over well, are actually more so the parts that the people seem to like all the better.

It’s funny how these things go, and how opinions differ so greatly.

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

law and order

@247parkyongguk​

Although Shinhye has nothing to do with the Deadlock blast revealing her lineage, she knows her father - who is not really her father, admittedly - will try and blame her for it. After all, she signed a contract stating she would not breathe a word about any of it. Which she did do, but only to her best friend and eventually to her cousin. Who is still her cousin because their mothers are related, not their fathers.

She’s not entirely sure her father will come knocking with his group of lawyers, but she does know she needs to get a lawyer of her own to make sure that when he does, she is prepared. Her search has led her past several offices but none of the people there struck her as someone she wanted to work together with so closely on such personal matters. Her hope of actually finding someone like that is dwindling, which is why she has decided to visit a more recently established law firm.

This one belongs to someone named Park Yongguk, a guy who’s only one year older than her. If she manages to get along fine with him, then perhaps she can also keep him hired to settle any possibly future legal disputes when it comes to her novels and the publishing of them. But something like that is still to be determined further down the line. First and foremost she needs to work on that damned mess Gossip Girl once again created.

Entering the building, Shinhye quietly walks up to the receptionist and asks for Park Yongguk. Confirming that she did indeed make an appointment with him, she is soon told which way to go and where she can wait. After taking the necessary turns and steps, she sits herself down on one of the chairs where she’s supposed to wait. Out of habit she pulls out her phone, so she can check her mail and maybe even write a couple more words while waiting.

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

mornings are a pain

@247taecyeon​ 

It’s been a heavy night, what with the events that transpired after the sudden deadlock notification she’d gotten. Her almost perfectly rebuilt life is on the verge of falling apart again at the slightest action from her father - which has so far not happened yet. Either he didn’t install the deadlock app - a very big possibility - or he isn’t entirely ready with his battle plans - also a good possibility. Still, instead of feeling at ease, Shinhye feels a constant state of expectant terror.

Which means the nights are short, the days are long, writing doesn’t happen much and when she actually has places to go she’s not even awake enough to take the proper subway. A temporary solution to these troubles is always coffee. Sure, she’ll be so awake that she can stress extra over her situation, but at least she’ll be on the right subway while doing it and there will be less mistakes made as she goes.

Or, well, that’s the plan. But life isn’t always as kind to her as she wishes it would be. When she eventually emerges from the coffee shop, her lukewarm coffee in hand - she’d left it to cool down while eating her chocolate muffin in peace at one of the few tables inside -, the first thing she does is walk coffee-first into someone else. Someone broad and solid, which means the coffee is pushed out of her hands and makes it descent to the floor.

Her eyes follow it as her mouth turns into an o-shape, all the way until the cup hits the ground and the coffee spills out entirely. She blinks a moment at the scene, mind still so clouded with a lack of sleep that it takes her a while to process what has happened and what that means for her. “My coffee,” she softly mourns, crouching down a little as if she’ll be able to pick it all back up at once. She’s going to have to buy a new one and let it cool down enough to drink all over again. Almost pouting as she can only pick up the empty cup and throw it in the bin next to her, she turns to look at whoever it was that she ran into.

The sight before her makes her forget all about the spilled coffee when she suddenly realises a bigger problem; it didn’t just spill on the ground but also on this tall example of the male gender. “Oh no, your clothes!” Her eyes go wide, the reality of it all fully hitting her as she looks further upward at the man’s face, trying to figure out whether he’s going to be pissed off with her or if he’s going to be somewhat civil about it. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying enough attention. I need the coffee for that.” Ah, not entirely what she should be saying.

“I... Let me buy you a new shirt!”

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

’ You need to find, find that anger behind the anger. ’

Shinhye laughs when the younger girl speaks, the mirth bubbling up inside of her easily as she reaches out to pet the pup she’d just been looking at.

“I don’t even know what that means, Yoori-ah,” she replies after her initial chuckling has subsided.

It’s quite by accident that she met the young girl again. They’d recently met at Lush, where the girl had revealed to be a fan of Shinhye’s work, and today again they’re meeting coincidentally as Shinhye has come to the pet shop to look at the animals they have. Yoori is a volunteer, it turns out, and they just so happen to both be here at the same time on the same day.

“What more anger could there be behind my anger? I’m not that much of a layered person. If I’m angry about something, there will only be the one type of anger. And it will be blazing.” She chuckles again as she thinks about whatever anger might be behind other anger, then shakes her head happily.

“No but honestly, I’m here to see if there’s a little critter that might look good in my house. Any advice what a rather busy writer could best get to fit with her lifestyle?” She straightens up again and looks around at all the other types of animals they have. “Preferably something that doesn’t require too much effort in taking care of it, just in case I get so immersed in writing that I forget.”

[ex-shinhye247-blog]

’ I am not doing that interview. ’

Shinhye lets out a sigh of frustration, getting up from her chair in the coffee shop she’d decided to have her afternoon snack at and throwing the magazine in her hands down on the table. Furious strides take her around the set of decorative plants on a small wall to reach the table on the other side. She is in no way part of the conversation that has been going on, but she is getting sick and tired of it.

“I mean, can you get off his back, please!?” Her words are instant, a little bit too loud probably, especially considering she has nothing to do with this entire situation. “He already told you like five times that he doesn’t want to do the stupid interview, leave the man alone! And please save us from having to hear him say it another twenty times. No is no! Damn you journalist vultures!” Slamming her hand down on the table, Shinhye miraculously manages to miss all of the plates and drinks on it as her gaze is fixed solidly on the tabloid writer.

She recognises him because she’s had to deal with him before, back in the day when he had tried to pry details about her leaving her family home right after high school. Perhaps she’d subconsciously recognised his voice and that was the reason her patience had run out. Or maybe it’s still just her protective instincts kicking in whenever someone else seems to not be able to get out of a tricky situation easily on their own.

“I have about ten scandal-worthy stories on you, Mr. Kim, and I am not hesitant to reveal all of them unless you heave yourself up from that chair and leave this poor man alone. So what if he stopped acting to become a CEO? That was years ago, get the hell over it!” Admittedly it was only a little over one year ago, but that’s beside the point. It’s still old news.

Watching the journalist splutter a few times, she puts her hands in her sides and gives him a warning look that tells him she can start really screeching if necessary. Luckily he seems to get the hint, because the man quickly gathers his stuff before he’s off. Waiting for him to have entirely left the coffeeshop, Shinhye relaxes in her stand and drops her hands back down with a relieved sigh.

“Finally,” she states, turning to face the male she had been kind of defending earlier. “I’m so very sorry about the half an hour of your life that man just wasted. And about interrupting your conversation. Have a wonderful afternoon, Seunghyun-ssi.” Dipping into a quick, respectful enough bow, Shinhye straightens up again, sends her old classmate a bright smile and then just walks back to her own table to pick up the magazine again so she can finally properly focus on that ‘thirty infallible ways to get yourself a man’ article.